Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to apparatus and methods for increasing the aerodynamic efficiency of an existing wind turbine. In particular, embodiments disclosed herein relate to apparatus and methods that enable an acceleration of an airflow into more aerodynamically efficient region of a wind turbine rotor blade providing an increase in efficiency of an existing wind turbine.
Commonly, rotor blades of wind turbines do not possess an aerodynamic profile at the inner rotor section. More specifically, the air flow in the inner rotor portion may pass over the rotor of the wind turbine. Accordingly, torque extraction at a root region in wind turbines is typically low. Thus, not all kinetic energy of the wind passing an area that is swept by the rotor blades is used for the energy production. In many instances the inner 20% of the rotor blades do not contribute significantly to energy capture, due to poor aerodynamic design of the blade at these locations. Accelerating the inboard section velocities and pushing the sped-up flow to outer span locations of the rotor blades will help increase the coefficient of power (Cp) of the blade.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved wind turbine that provides for the acceleration of the flow into and over a more aerodynamically efficient region of the rotor blades.